The verdict in three sentences
Migrating from Magento to a custom B2B solution (often headless) is budgeted between 45,000 and 100,000 EUR in 2026 for a Berlin company. The trigger is almost never design: it is Magento's maintenance cost (extensions, security updates, heavy hosting) that becomes unsustainable. Done well, the migration cuts annual maintenance cost by around 60 % and makes the platform evolve at the pace of your business.
What a migration actually covers
A migration is not a simple rebuild: you must carry over data, preserve SEO and avoid breaking existing integrations. Here is the 2026 order of magnitude.
| Migration item | 2026 range (EUR) | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|
| New headless B2B platform | 30,000 - 65,000 | 12-16 weeks |
| Catalogue and customer accounts migration | 10,000 | 3-4 weeks |
| Redirects and SEO preservation (301) | 4,000 | 2 weeks |
| ERP / payment re-integration | 8,000 - 15,000 | 3-4 weeks |
| QA, load testing, cutover | 6,000 | 2-3 weeks |
| Total | 45,000 - 100,000 | 5-8 months |
The SEO redirects item is modest (4,000 EUR) but critical: a migration that loses acquired rankings can cost far more in lost traffic than the entire project.
The real issue: 3-year TCO
Magento looks "already paid for", but its total cost of ownership (TCO) is dominated by maintenance and hosting. Estimated 3-year comparison for a mid-sized B2B platform.
| Item (over 3 years) | Stay on Magento | Custom headless |
|---|---|---|
| License / platform | 0 - 66,000 EUR (Adobe Commerce) | 0 (open source) |
| Hosting | 36,000 - 54,000 EUR | 12,000 - 21,000 EUR |
| Maintenance + security updates | 60,000 - 90,000 EUR | 24,000 - 36,000 EUR |
| Extensions / modules | 15,000 - 30,000 EUR | Included / custom |
| Initial migration | 0 | 45,000 - 100,000 EUR |
| 3-year TCO (estimate) | 111,000 - 240,000 EUR | 81,000 - 157,000 EUR |
Reading: custom headless is more expensive in year one (because of the migration project), but maintenance cost drops by around 60 % and TCO becomes favourable from year 2 or 3.
Mini case study
Karim, IT director at a B2B distributor in Berlin, pays ~7,000 EUR/month for Magento maintenance and hosting (84,000 EUR/year), plus 18,000 EUR of extensions/year. Total: ~102,000 EUR/year. A 82,000 EUR migration brings maintenance down to ~2,800 EUR/month (33,600 EUR/year) with no paid extensions.
Annual savings: 102,000 - 33,600 = 68,400 EUR/year. The migration cost is amortised in ~14 months, after which the company saves ~68,000 EUR every year and gains agility for its business evolutions.
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FAQ
Will we lose our Google rankings by migrating?
Not if a 301 redirect plan is set up before cutover (~4,000 EUR). We map each Magento URL to the new one, preserve tags and monitor indexing in the weeks after go-live.
Can we migrate in stages to limit risk?
Yes. A progressive approach (catalogue, then ordering, then customer accounts) spreads risk and load but extends the overall timeline by 1 to 2 months. A pilot on a customer segment validates before full cutover.
Why headless rather than a new Magento version?
Headless separates front from back: you change one without breaking the other and avoid module debt. This durably reduces maintenance, Magento's main cost driver.
How long does a typical migration take?
5 to 8 months depending on data volume and the number of integrations. Catalogue and customer migration (~10,000 EUR) and ERP re-integration are the most sensitive phases.
What happens to customer order history?
It is carried over and archived in the new platform or in the ERP depending on your needs. Data migration ensures customers keep their history and negotiated terms.
Let's scope your project. Send us your Magento version, your SKU volume and your integrations: we will price the migration and the comparative 3-year TCO. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
